Infiltrating the Poker Hall

"Straw Hat Luffy, Violet!" Gladius shouted.

"Gladius!?" Violet was shocked to see him.

"You bastard, how dare you—how dare you betray Young Master!" Veins bulged across Gladius's forehead one after another.

"Fine, bring it on!" Luffy took a fighting stance, ready to settle things with him, but Violet grabbed him and said, "No! Run!"

"What for?" Luffy asked.

"He's also very difficult to deal with. Anyway, we need to hurry to the Poker Hall on the second floor." As Violet and Luffy ran, Luffy carried Toy Soldier on his back. Toy Soldier looked stunned and asked, "Princess Violet, why are you...?"

"You know me?" Viola found it strange.

"Yes! Of course I remember you," Toy Soldier admitted.

"I've also been watching over you through Clairvoyance—watching you and Rebecca. It must have been very hard. Thank you."

"Violet, I will never forgive a traitor!" As Gladius spoke, his head swelled to the size of a giant ball.

"This isn't betrayal at all! Ever since that day ten years ago, I've never sincerely accepted any of you!" Violet shouted.

"That doesn't change the fact that you insulted Young Master! Steel Helmet Burst!" By then, Gladius's head had grown enormous. It began to crack, then exploded like a cannon blast. Fragments tore through Violet and embedded themselves in her body. Violet collapsed at once, and Luffy hurriedly caught her!

"Hey! You weren't hit anywhere vital, right? Sorry, I still let you get hurt even though I was here," Luffy said.

"They only grazed me. Hurry to the second floor!" Violet urged.

"So we just need to get to the second floor first, right?"

"Wait, the stairs aren't that way!"

Luffy ran straight toward the wall with the windows. To everyone's surprise, he smashed right through a window.

"What are you doing?!" Toy Soldier